NHLBI funded Dow to study the effects of environmental and ecological interventions to reduce and manage overweight and obesity as well as financial outcomes.  Study goals include: 1) test the multifaceted hypothesis:  relative to individual interventions, environmental interventions reduce the prevalence of obesity and overweight, reduce the prevalence of other weight-related risk factors, improve health, reduce healthcare utilization and expenditures, and improve other indicators known to be related to employee productivity 2) test whether savings outweigh program expenses, thus producing a positive ROI.
                                                                   
Two intervention levels were implemented.  Moderate interventionsincluded healthy choices in vending machines and cafeterias (25% healthy food option requirement), healthy choices at company-sponsored meetings (50% of items required to meet healthy food criteria), on-site marked walking paths, targeted messages to encourage healthy eating and physical activity, and a recognition program for employees engaging in health improvement initiatives and/or who changed their behavior.  These interventions supplemented an individual behavior change program encouraging weight loss and increased physical activity.  Additionally, the worksite was saturated with healthy eating and physical activity messages; point-of purchase messages on vending machines and in cafeterias and signs marking the walking paths were included. A concerted communication campaign including signs, posters, table tents, e-mails, messages in meetings, and information on Dow’s intranet site was also developed to create awareness and foster participation.

In addition to the moderate strategies, intense-level interventions included: site level goals aligned with the site’s management plan, leadership training, site progress reports to senior leadership, established employee champions at the work group level (Healthy Culture Focal Points), and leadership recognition. These interventions were designed to garner leadership support, integrate the interventions into company processes, and recognize individuals for progress toward health achievement goals.  The chosen intense interventions were designed to make them part of the company culture.